African American Soldiers and Sailors of Onslow County

Organized February 8, 1864, from 1st North Carolina Colored Infantry. Attached to Montgomery’s Brigade, District of Florida, Dept. of the South, February, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Vogdes’ Division, District of Florida, Dept. of the South, to April, 1864. District of Florida, Dept. of the South, to October, 1864. 4th Separate Brigade, Dept. of the South, to November, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Coast Division, Dept. of the South, to December, 1864. 4th Separate Brigade, Dept. of the South, to March, 1865. 1st Separate Brigade, Dept. of the South, to August, 1865. Dept. of the South, to June, 1866.

SERVICE.-Expedition to Lake City, Fla., February 14-22, 1864. Battle of Olustee February 20. Duty at Jacksonville, Fla., till November. Operations on St. Johns River May 19-27. Horse Head Landing May 23. (Four Companies detached on Expedition to James Island, S. C., July 1-10. King’s Creek, S. C., July 3.) Raid from Jacksonville upon Baldwin July 23-28. South Fork, Black Creek, July 24. Black Creek near Whitesides July 27. Raid on Florida Railroad August 15-19. Ordered from Jacksonville to Hilton Head, S. C., November 25, Expedition to Boyd’s Neck November 28-30. Battle of Honey Hill November 30. Return to Jacksonville, Fla., and duty there till March, 1865. Ordered to Charleston, S. C. Duty there and at various points in the Dept. of the South till June, 1866. Mustered out June 1, 1866.

Regiment lost during service 4 Officers and 49 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 151 Enlisted men by disease. Total 205.

Predecessor unit:

NORTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS.
1st REGIMENT INFANTRY (AFRICAN DESCENT).
Organized at New Berne, N.C., and Portsmouth, Va., June 30, 1863. Attached to Wild’s African Brigade, U.S. Forces, Folly Island, S.C., 10th Army Corps, Dept. of the South, to December, 1863. 3rd Brigade, Vodge’s Division, Folly Island, S.C., to February, 1864.
SERVICE.-Transferred from Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina to Folly Island, S.C., July 29-August 9. Operations on Folly and Morris Islands against Fort Sumpter and Charleston, S.C., till February, 1864. Moved to Jacksonville, Fla., February 13-16. (A detachment at New Berne, N.C., and participated in raid on Wilmington & Weldon Railroad July 3-7, 1863. Ford’s Mill near New Berne October 30. Near Greenville November 25 and December 30.) (A detachment at Portsmouth, Va., and participated in Expedition from Portsmouth to South Mills, Camden, etc., December 5-24, 1863.) Designation of Regiment changed to 35th U.S. Colored Troops February 8, 1864.

Organized February 8, 1864, from 2nd North Carolina Colored Infantry. Attached to U. S. Forces, Norfolk and Portsmouth, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April, 1864. District of St. Marys, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina to June, 1864. Unattached, Army of the James, to August, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps, to December, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 25th Corps, December, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 25th Corps, and Dept. of Texas, to October, 1866.

SERVICE.–Duty at Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., till April, 1864. At Point Lookout, Md., District of St. Marys, guarding prisoners till July, 1864. Expedition from Point Lookout to Westmoreland County April 12-14. Expedition from Point Lookout to Rappahannock River May 11-14, and to Pope’s Creek June 11-21. Moved from Point Lookout to Bermuda Hundred, Va., July 1-3. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond, Va., July 3, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights, September 29-30. Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28. Dutch Gap November 17. Indiantown, Sandy Creek, N. C., December 18 (Detachment). Duty north of James River before Richmond till March 27, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 27-April 9. Occupation of Richmond April 3. Duty in Dept. of Virginia till May. Moved to Texas May 24-June 6. Duty along the Rio Grande, Texas, and at various points in Texas till October, 1866. Mustered out October 28, 1866.

Predecessor unit:

NORTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS.
2nd REGIMENT INFANTRY (AFRICAN DESCENT).
Organized at Portsmouth, Va., October 28, 1863. Attached to Wild’s African Brigade, U.S. Forces, Norfolk and Portsmouth, Dept. Virginia and North Carolina, to February, 1864. (A Detachment, with African Brigade, to Folly Island, S.C., 10th Army Corps, Dept. of the South, July 29-August 9, 1863, and in operations on Morris Island and Folly Island against Fort Sumpter and Charleston till December, 1863.) (A Detachment at New Berne, N.C., and participated in scout from Rocky Run toward Trenton, N.C., December 21-24, 1863.) Regiment on Expedition from Norfolk, Va., to South Mills, Camden, etc., N.C., December 5-24, 1863. Designation of Regiment changed to 36th United States Colored Troops February 8, 1864.

Organized February 3, 1864, from 3rd North Carolina Colored Infantry. Attached to U. S. Forces, Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April, 1864. 1st Brigade, Hincks’ Colored Division, 18th Corps, Army of the James, to June, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, to July, 1864. Unattached, Army of the James, to August, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps, to December, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 25th Corps, to January, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Terry’s Provisional Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to March, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to August, 1865. Dept. of North Carolina, to February, 1867.

SERVICE.–Duty at Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., till April, 1864. Expedition to Westmoreland County April 12-14. Butler’s operations on south side of James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-June 15. Capture of Fort Powhatan May 5. Duty there and at Wilson’s Wharf till September 28. Moved to Deep Bottom September 28-29. Battle of Chaffin’s Farm, New Market Heights, September 29-30. Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28. In trenches before Richmond till December 7. 1st Expedition to Fort Fisher, N. C., December 7-27. 2nd Expedition to Fort Fisher January 7-15, 1865. Bombardment of Fort Fisher January 13-15. Assault and capture of Fort Fisher January 15. Sugar Loaf Hill January 19. Federal Point February 11. Fort Anderson February 18-20. Capture of Wilmington February 22. Northeast Ferry February 22. Campaign of the Carolinas March 1-April 26. Advance on Kinston and Goldsboro March 6-21. Cox’s Bridge March 23-24. Advance on Raleigh April 9-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett’s House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. Duty at various points in North Carolina and in the Dept. of the South till February, 1867. Mustered out February 11, 1867.

Predecessor unit:

NORTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS.
3rd REGIMENT INFANTRY (AFRICAN DESCENT).
Organized at Norfolk, Va., January 30, 1864. Attached to District of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to February, 1864. (A Detachment transferred with African Brigade from Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina to Folly Island, S.C., 10th Army Corps, Dept. of the South, July 29-August 9, 1863, and engaged in operations on Folly and Morris Islands against Fort Sumpter and Charleston, S.C., till December, 1863. Designation of Regiment changed to 37th United States Colored Troops February 8, 1864.

Organized at New Berne and Morehead City, N. C., from 1st North Carolina Colored Heavy Artillery March 17, 1864. Attached to Defences of New Berne, N. C., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to January, 1865. Sub-District of New Berne, Dept. of North Carolina, and Sub-District of Beaufort, N. C., Dept. of North Carolina, to December, 1865.

SERVICE.-Garrison duty at New Berne and other points in the Dept. of North Carolina till December, 1865. Mustered out December 11, 1865.

Predecessor unit:

NORTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS.
1st REGIMENT HEAVY ARTILLERY (AFRICAN DESCENT).
Organized at New Berne and Morehead City, N.C., March, 1864. Attached to District of New Berne, N.C., Dept. Virginia and North Carolina, to February, 1865. District of New Berne, N.C., Dept. Of North Carolina, to March, 1865.

SERVICE.-Garrison Duty at New Berne, N.C., and other points in District and Dept. of North Carolina, till March, 1865. Designation of Regiment changed to 14th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery, March 17, 1865.

Organized at Fort Monroe, Va., December 22, 1863. Attached to Fort Monroe, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April, 1864. Unattached Williamsburg, Va., Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to June, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps, Army of the James, to August, 1864. Unattached 3rd Division, 18th Corps, to December, 1864. Unattached 25th Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to May, 1865. Cavalry Brigade, 25th Corps, Dept. of Virginia and Dept. of Texas, to February, 1866.

SERVICE.–Duty at Fort Monroe, Portsmouth and Williamsburg, Va., until May, 1864. Demonstration on Portsmouth March 4-5. Action near Suffolk March 10. Reconnaissance from Portsmouth to the Blackwater April 13-15. Butler’s operations on the south side of James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Capture of Bermuda Hundred and City Point May 5. Swift Creek May 8-10. Operations against Fort Darling May 10-16. Actions at Drury’s Bluff May 10-13-14-15 and 16. Near Drury’s Bluff May 20. Duty in trenches at Bermuda Hundred until June 13. Point of Rocks June 10. Richmond Campaign June 13-July 31. Baylor’s Farm June 15. Assaults on Petersburg June 16-19. Siege of Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864, to February 18, 1865. Duty before Petersburg until July, 1864. Moved to Deep Bottom July 25. Action at Deep Bottom July 27-28. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18. Actions at Deep Bottom September 2 and 6. Chaffin’s Farm September 29-30. Darbytown Road October 7. Battle of Fair Oaks, Darbytown Road October 27-28. Near Richmond October 28-29. Duty in trenches north of James River until February, 1865. Ordered to Norfolk February 18. Duty in District of Eastern Virginia at Norfolk, Suffolk, etc., until May. Ordered to City Point, Va.; thence sailed for Texas June 10. Duty on the Rio Grande and at various points in Texas until February, 1866. Mustered out February 12, 1866. 

Reunion of 35th United States Troops (originally the 1st North Carolina Colored Infantry), circa 1905 in front of Prince Hall Masonic Lodge, Plymouth, North Carolina. Luke Perkins Martin (1837-1920) of Washington County, North Carolina is shown in the middle right just to the left and down from the woman in the back wearing a fancy hat with spray of flowers or poof on top right side of the hat.

 Courtesy of The North Carolina State Archives